<p>I saw a thread today where this guy was already starting! When are we supposed to start filling it out and writing the essays? It doesn't look like it will take that long, yet a lot of my friends last year complained...</p>
<p>And how exactly do I apply? Fill out the commonap + supplements and send it through snail mail? How would I apply online?</p>
<p>From what I can remember, other than the essays/supplements, the Common App takes < half an hour to fill. I could be terribly wrong.</p>
<p>^ are you in college?</p>
<p>^ No.</p>
<p>So why do people say it takes so long? When do people start?</p>
<p>The Common App is online; just do a Google search for the site. AFAIK, the application for the class of 2012 becomes online on August 1. However, there is a preview copy on the site already.</p>
<p>You start filling it out on August 1st if you plan to go to college next Fall. Filling it now is a waste because it will be deleted come August.</p>
<p>Is it online or do you print and mail it?</p>
<p>You can submit all of it online. That includes supplements, the main app, and paying fees. The actual app takes no time at all. The essay isn’t that bad. The supplements are occasionally very lengthy and time consuming (some requiring multiple essays). A tip is to be careful submitting any part of an app to schools, because once you submit something you can’t change the app or delete the school and there is a limit to the number of schools you can add.</p>
<p>Either, but it’s preferable to just do it online.</p>
<p>Out of curiosity, Saugus, if you’re matriculating to the University of South Carolina as part of the Class of 2015, why do you still need to fill out the Common App?</p>
<p>^
The location was purposely misleading in case someone happened to recognize me from real life.</p>
<p>So the entire application to individual schools can be done online? What about recs and stuff like that?</p>
<p>creel92 - you mentioned there is a limit to the number of schools one can add? Is that so? I heard one can apply to how many ever schools one wants…</p>
<p>Others, can you please clarify on the limit?</p>
<p>Applicants for 2016 will lose any information they store from now until July 15th when they take the system down and flush it for the new application season.</p>
<p>It is best to take the template for 2012 that is available and figure out what questions you need answered and what essays you would like to write. However, as others mentioned, it is supplements that end up taking lot more time.</p>
<p>The recommendations and transcripts can be loaded online too but it depends on how your teachers like to do it and how your school works with transcripts.</p>
<p>That person was me. And damn I had no idea it gets reset every summer. It really only takes like 30 minutes though. It’s all basic stuff, nothing you have to think about</p>
<p>Either way, just make an account and start looking through the app to get used to the format, and figure out what you want to put where.</p>
<p>The format does change a bit for 2012. They have instituted a cap for essay at 500 words which is the biggest change.</p>
<p>Depending on what grade you are in, I would recommend filling it out constantly to keep track of your accomplishments and achievements. Then, when it becomes time to fill it out officially, it will not take that long.</p>
<p>Essay limits? D: Well, I guess at least then I’ll know if I’m being too verbose …</p>
<p>Do the supplements for different schools change much year to year? I guess it would depend on the school, wouldn’t it…</p>
<p>Yeah it does depend. Some are the same year-to-year, like for the UCs, some have minor changes, and some totally change, like UChicago. If you hunt around you could probably figure out which ones change and which don’t.</p>